The Tomatoes of Wrath
by fashiondisasterxx
Summary: After Takumi discovers Leo bathing in a hot spring, the two boys reluctantly agree to meet again. A mix of 1st person Takumi and 3rd person viewpoint (Leo).
1. Chapter 1

_Thwack!_ The arrow I had let fly penetrated the wooden balustrade behind the target, sounding out with a dull thud that echoed across the dewy morning. My shot was wide, I had missed. _Again._ I lowered my bow, and exhaled exuberantly. This was getting frustrating.

"It's not like you to miss like that, Takumi," came a low, confident, masculine voice from behind me. That would be my brother, Ryoma. Always the consummate judge of my skills.

"It's early," I muttered back. "I'm not awake yet."

His footsteps drew nearer, and he spoke with a chuckle, "And it's not like you to be out of bed so early either. If I had to guess, I'd say something's on your mind..."

I didn't turn to face him—I came out here to be alone. But he was right, he was always _right_. I hadn't slept well since we'd arrived at the Western Outpost, a small fortress near the border of the Kingdom of Nohr. There had been a few border skirmishes, and there was concern that war would break out. Ryoma and I had been sent to treat with the royal family of Nohr. That was our duty.

But that wasn't what was keeping me up at night.

I nocked an arrow, drew the bow taut, and loosed. _Too quick!_ The arrow found the target this time, but inches from the bull's-eye. _Not good enough._ Two days ago I was splitting my own arrows down the middle, then we came to this miserable place, met with those snotty Nohrians... Those untrustworthy... And I can still see that bastard's face... How he _looked down_ on me—

"Heh. Why don't I give it a shot?" Ryoma proposed, lighthearted as usual. I grit my teeth. Oh, how he seems to be taking all this in stride. He really is one for the throne. My heart felt heavy with scorn for my own brother.

Ryoma picked up a bow from the rack nearby, and loosed an arrow. "Bull's-eye!" he cheered when it found its mark on _my_ target. He slapped me on the back, and went to return the bow..

I tasted acid. My hands shook, my knuckles white as I gripped Fujin-yumi. That bastard, he beat me out at swords, and now he's gonna beat me out at the bow, too?! I quivered, and it took everything not to snap.

It wasn't enough. I flung my bow to the ground and shouted, "What the hell do you know about it anyway?!" Tears burned hot at my eyes, I held them back, but I had less luck with my words. "What the hell do you know about _me?_ You're too busy being perfect all the time!"

It wasn't often that I saw Ryoma without his fire-red armor, but this morning he wore only simple clothing, his long brown hair loose about his shoulders. My words had cut as I had intended. He scoffed lightly, barely a whisper at all, in an attempt to brush off my sudden outburst. His eyes did not meet mine as I stormed off.


	2. Chapter 2

For breakfast, I took miso soup in my quarters. I didn't want to see Ryoma in the mess hall, and I had other things on my mind. I soon as I finished slurping up the last of my delicious Hoshidan delicacy, I snuck off to collect Fujin-yumi, which I found placed back on its special wall mount. By Ryoma, undoubtedly. The pit of my stomach sank, heavy with guilt.

"Not planning on going without me," said Hinata, skulking in the shadows nearby, "were ya?" His cowlicked hair seemed even wilder than usual, his katana slung over his shoulder.

Well, I was.

"It would be unwise for our lord to travel outside the fortress without his retainers," Oboro said.

I sighed. What's a guy gotta do to get some time alone? Stay in bed all day?

"Fine," I acquiesced, "you can come with me on one condition: don't slow me down."

"Ha! Wouldn't dream of it, boss!" Hinata said with his typical sidelong smirk. "Oboro's got the horses all ready."


	3. Chapter 3

_Ryoma. Takumi._ Leo turned the names over in his mind, walking through the lush forest beyond the Nohrian encampment. _Ryoma. Takumi._ So strange, these Hoshidans, he thought, their customs, their names, everything about them.

It was Leo's first time in the Hoshido border region; in fact, it could hardly be said he had left Castle Krakenburg much at all in the past. But King Garon had made it plain that, even in light of young Leo's protests, he would be a part of this diplomatic mission for the good of the country.

Leo didn't like to travel. He didn't like much other than the peace and solace in the great library of the keep. Well, he did like tomato juice. But there wasn't any tomato juice here, was there? No, there wasn't. Only the dark, misty woods, and his wretched siblings back at camp.

"Let Crown Prince Xander deal with these Hoshidan dogs," he sneered to himself, finally in the comfort of his own company, alone. It would be a few hours before he was realized missing back at camp. _I'll be back before they even know I'm gone. I just need to recharge, that's all._

Yes, this place was awful. It was true. But Leo had found something of interest, yes he had. Something that might just help him to relax a bit...

He felt a change in the cool air first, as he approached the steaming hot springs; a warmth that tickled his skin, made it crawl with anticipation. He began to strip off his boots, his socks, and soon he was as naked as the grass was green. "Mmmm," he purred delicately, as his smooth, pale skin sank into the luxurious water.

"A pity we don't have _this_ at home," he sighed, and splashed the water playfully. He closed his eyes.

 _Ryoma. Takumi._ He pictured their faces. One, strong, with wild brown hair, and the other, shorter and moody, with well-kept hair as silver as the moon... The one who had been so offended when he said his name wrong, like _Ta-_ koomi...

"Oh, curse this," Leo said, "I'm supposed to be relaxing. Besides, I can't help the uncultured attitude of these savages." And relax he did, the warm Hoshidan springs heating his blood and bones and making his skin flush with pleasure. He rubbed the soothing waters gently over his shoulders, which felt a little cold above the water.

Takumi. Again, the boy's soft brown eyes and silver mane flashed through Leo's mind. His heart thumped faster at the thought of the Hoshidan prince's outburst, directed at him. Such arrogance! _How dare he chastise me like th—_

Then, all hell broke loose.

The forest stirred as something crashed through the bushes, sending birds flying every which way, shattering the Nohrian prince's peace of mind. He shot upright, alert, when a wild boar came smashing through the dense flora surrounding the springs, pursued by the sound of wild hooves. One deft arrow zipped from the trees, and felled the beast, pierced through its heart.

Leo's eyes grew wide as the felled thing shuddered its death-rattle, not ten feet away. But worse still, someone was coming.

"Gods! I can't let them see me like this," Leo said in an attempt to calm himself. He was very self-conscious of his skinny body, and there was no way he would ever willingly let anyone see him naked.

It was too late. A figure, naught but a silhouette, ranged through the fog and the trees and made its way to the dead beast. Leo held his breath, terrified to move.

As the shade approached, there was no mistaking its identity.

 _Takumi. Takumi. Takumi!_

The Nohrian prince was paralyzed. _Don't let him see me—_

The Hoshidan prince's long, silver hair swayed behind him as he planted one boot firmly on his kill and ripped his arrow from the boar. He drew his knife and prepared to gut his kill. But his eyes fell on the black boots that lay beside the spring. _Nohrian_ boots.

The knife went away, and the bow came up nocked and ready. Takumi stood cautiously, and his eyes fell upon the naked, bathing prince of Nohr. His face briefly held an expression of shock before he swiftly recovered (Hoshidan springs are quite famous for their especially clear waters).

"You..." Takumi said, glaring at the uncloaked boy.

Leo glared back, powerless but no less standoffish. "So, this is it? Will you be proud of killing an unarmed prince, you dog?"

Takumi lowered his bow, but not his gaze. "No, we do not kill unarmed princes in Hoshido. It's dishonorable."

Leo raised an arm to cover himself. He didn't know what else to do. "What, is it so strange to see someone bathing in Hoshido that you need to stare?!" The spring suddenly felt hotter than before.

Takumi immediately cast his eyes aside. "It is not. It was wrong of me to come upon you like this. I apologize."

Leo stared deeply at the other's reddened face. "Hmph. Maybe you aren't such a savage after all." Takumi gave a look of pure scorn, but Leo couldn't help to notice that the Hoshidan prince's eyes wandered a little too far south...

"You really are insufferable," Takumi said, drawing his blade once more and preparing to gut the dead boar. "Tell me, does your own mother even love you?"

Leo roared and rose up out of the water without a second thought. "Don't you dare talk about my mother!" he screamed. His tome, Brynhildr, was out of reach, but he was still skilled with fire magic without it, especially when he was angry. And when people talked about his abusive mother, that made him very angry indeed.

The silver-haired boy readied himself against an attack, but the angered Nohrian's threat soon sputtered out. A cool breeze passed through and brought the prince back to reality, which was that he was penis-to-the-wind naked and dripping wet. Takumi's jaw dropped a little, and Leo sat back down quickly, redder than his favorite fruit.

"...Let's just forget this happened," Leo huffed.

"R-right!" agreed Takumi. Voices in the distance began calling his name. "I need to go," he added, appearing almost remiss before scampering off into the misty wood. Leo was alone once again, hardly believing what had happened and failing to comprehend what stirred within him.


	4. Chapter 4

The ride back to the Western Fortress was slow and silent. The sun had risen high, and with it had come sweltering summer heat. The pride I had briefly felt after a successful hunt had been washed away by the distracting encounter with that blonde-of-hair Nohrian prince. I held my reins loosely, and mindlessly let my horse follow Hinata's steed. _What was his name again? Leo?_

I pictured his face in my mind. His short cropped hair accented his petit features, perfectly framing his eyes, which smouldered a dark reddish-brown hue. Lips pursed seriously. Then, beneath the water...

I felt hot, suddenly, and pushed the thought from my mind as soon as it had come. Get a grip on reality, Takumi.

Birds sang their summer songs in the trees nearby, and Hinata swayed gently in his saddle, whistling as he rode. I tried to focus on my surroundings—the steady clop-clop of hooves, the lush green vegetation that closed in against the trail we followed—but still my thoughts were abuzz.

The memory of Hinata's breath, hot and close against my neck, swelled suddenly in my mind. For a brief moment, I could smell his husky scent just as when we had wrestled. He had me pinned against the ground, I had managed to lock my legs around his strong hips... yet, when we locked our eyes together, I had let my touch go soft. I had looked at him longingly, and he knew it. We both knew it. He turned away, a little redder than before. Wrestling was over. He still served me as retainer, of course, but we never spoke of it again.

Oboro was watching me—I could feel her eyes boring into me once I came to my senses. My eyes had been locked on Hinata's shoulders and strong back, and I released my gaze. The memory of his hard, supple body pressed against mine had stirred me at my root and I could feel my member swelling between my legs. I tried to fight it. I tried to fight the feeling of ache and urgency it brought to bear.

That night, as I lay in bed drifting off to sleep, the scene at the hot springs unfolded again and again. My eyes looked over the naked prince's body; his slight shoulders; his big... _thing_ , softly engorged from the hot springs and glistening wet in the dawn.

 _Come on, Takumi... You're a normal, healthy boy... Right? Get a grip..._


	5. Chapter 5

Candlelight flickered off the the walls inside Leo's private tent. The prince did not travel lightly, as evidenced by his great oak desk and his overflowing bookshelf. Chances were that he could be stuck in these godawful woods for much longer than he would like, and he certainly wasn't going without his reading materials.

Several books lay open before him, ignored. Hours had past since the encounter at the hot springs, yet the memory of it coursed through Leo's mind and distracted him from his reading. It was all Takumi's fault. Each time he took up a book, instead of words he would see the dashing Hoshidan. Leo picked up a book once more, and in seconds cast it aside. _It's useless._ Bemoaning, he took up a quill and dabbed it into the ink.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _Damn that Hoshidan! The one I quarreled with the other day. His name is Takumi, and he discovered me as I bathed alone. He is a big stupid meanie-head!_

Leo stopped there, then scratched everything out and facepalmed. _What am I, a five year old?_

What he had written was stupid, certainly. It occurred to him that he could try writing the truth, instead. The truth was always a dangerous thing to put on paper, but no harm would come of it... as long as no one else saw it. And he had to get it out somehow.

 _Dear Diary,_

 _It's not always easy to admit these things... Even if I do know that I'm gay. It's just... argh! It's that damn Takumi, I have a crush on him all right?! He's arrogant, and prideful, and everything I_ don't _like... but he's got these great legs, and soft eyes, and really, really great hair, and—_

"Hey, bro, whatcha doin?" chirped Elise, causing Leo to jump about ten feet. The startled boy crumpled up the paper immediately—he had intended to burn it in privacy. Privacy that was sorely lacking around here, apparently.

"H-how long were you standing there?!"

Elise smiled; everytime she did, it was like some bizarre cross between childish innocence and bubblegum psycho. "You didn't answer my question," she pressed, swirling one of her golden pigtails in her hand.

 _Shit,_ Leo thought, _if she saw what I was writing... I'd be done for._ _The shame would kill me if Father doesn't..._

"Just taking some notes on Hoshidan customs," Leo said; his voice was shaky at best, but he did have history books open on his desk.

"You're such a bad liar," Elise chirped, "but I don't care. You're my favorite brother." She then brought her face to within whisper-distance, " _Who is it?_ "

Leo cleared his throat. "You had better get some sleep, Elise; tomorrow, we will treat once more with the Hoshidan clan."

"Oh, you're so boring, Leo!" she said, prancing about his tent. "Xander's looking for you, by the way. Better go find him, better go find him..." She said in a sing-song voice that was nothing like music. She pranced out of his tent, and the flap closed behind her.

It occurred to Leo that he had probably forgotten to breathe. He let out a great sigh, reopened his crumpled admission, read it once more, and then put it to the candle and let it burn.


	6. Chapter 6

Leo watched disdainfully as his brother Xander postured and posed against Ryoma of Hoshido. The sun had begun to rise yet again, gracing them with a new day; but the whole "meeting with your enemy" thing was quite drab, especially when it happened so _early_ in the morning.

The air was quite cool. Leo could see his own breath, and when he looked at the faces of those in attendance, they looked cold and tired. He gave Takumi as subtle a glance as he dared—the two had met eyes upon arriving and that had proved to be awkward. Takumi had looked away, blushing again, and Leo... well, he wasn't very good at approaching these sorts of things.

But dammit, today he was going to try.

It appeared a miracle to Leo that Xander, crown prince of Nohr, and Ryoma, crown prince of Hoshido, had not yet whipped their dicks out in an effort to measure them. Instead, there was a lot of their horses stamping their hooves, and huffing and puffing, and "I'll blow your house down," to quote one of Nohr's fables. Everything except dick-measuring, which probably would've taken less time.

Then Leo crossed the line, the imaginary one that existed in arguments like this one, and pulled his steed up next to Takumi's.

Takumi played straight so well. His jaw clenched and unclenched. He gripped the reins, hard. And when Leo said, "Hey," he said, "Hey," right back. Takumi's sisters looked mildly surprised, but accepting. Leo's sisters stared daggers.

What Leo did next was what so many inexperienced lovers do when their hearts weigh heavy with a crush: he passed a secret note and prayed.


	7. Chapter 7

"You're late," Leo said as soon as I had arrived at our meeting place. The mottled red sunset had faded to dusky blue, and the forest had come alive with the nocturnal dancing of the Hoshido glow bugs in the starlight. Leo had ensconced himself in the springs already. I disembarked my horse and tied its reins to a nearby tree.

"Well?" he pestered. An owl began to hoot nearby.

I crossed my arms guardedly, "We agreed to meet at dusk. Here I am."

He motioned for me to join him. I removed my _haka_ and _oba_ and began to undo my _kimono_ , but paused as it began to slip from my shoulder. It felt so strange to meet my enemy at the hot springs like this, but we Hoshidans pride ourselves on custom and hospitality... so... I guessed I couldn't really refuse the invitation to parley. Could I?

"Don't look," I ordered Leo.

"Of course not! I'm not some perv."

Once I was sure I had his word, I dropped the kimono to the soft grass beside my naked feet, and lowered myself into the springs.

"Ahhhh..." I sighed. The warm waters were just what I needed after such a hard day. I splashed my face, and relaxed against the rocks next to Leo. The hot spring seemed smaller than I remembered it... "So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked.

"Don't get the wrong impression, I don't _want_ to talk to you," Leo sneered. "We're _not_ friends."

Anger flashed through me. "And I would never presume we were!" I spat back. "I'm here only to extend you the most basic hospitality. It's my _duty_ to be here. Nothing more."

"Good. I'm glad we can agree on that."

"We most certainly can."

Scorn settled into the conversation, replacing words for a time. The clear sound of softly trickling water, and the moonlight illuminating the grove played tricks on me and I felt as though I was in a dream. Aside from my company, it was pleasant.

"So, I understand that you are the youngest son in your family?" Leo asked.

"I am."

"Interesting..."

What could be so interesting about that? "Do explain."

"Well," Leo continued, "it appears that our families are quite similar—"

"—I can assure you they are not."

"Wait, hear me out. Obviously, they can't be _similar_ , but we both have an older brother in line for the crown, an older sister, and a younger sister, right?"

For the first time since we'd climbed into the springs together, we met eyes and held each other's gaze. Where was all this was going?

"Tell me, do you enjoy chess?" Leo asked.

"In Hoshido we play Shogi. I'm the best player in my family."

"See, that's interesting—I like strategy too!" Leo exclaimed. He seemed to be excited by the revelation.

"OK, fine. But we're still nothing alike," I retorted. I did not share his excitement about this, not one bit. How could I? We were nothing alike. "What's your favorite food?" I asked.

"Beef stew. It's a kind of soup. You?"

Dammit. I guess I had to admit that I liked soup too. A lot. "Miso soup. But don't go getting any ideas!"

"I'm not," Leo countered. "I've read all the histories between my country and yours and believe me I know how different we are!"

Dammit. He likes history books too?! I turned and faced him square on, my jaw clenching and unclenching. He returned the favor.

"Just because... you like history books... _and_ similar food as me... _and_ strategy games... _doesn't mean a damn thing!_ " I huffed out impassionedly.

Leo stuck the water with a closed fist, and stared me down. "Of course not! I would never wish to imply that we could be anything alike! I'm just trying to make conversation with you—you with your bad attitude, and... weird clothes!"

"Bad attitude? You were the one who invited me here! Weird clothes? You ever look at what _you_ wear? Black is so boring!" I fired back.

"Of course! Of course I invited you! I wanted to talk to you about the treaty. About strategy. And I _thought_ that maybe you'd listen to reason? Yeah, right! So much for _that_."

"Oh, yeah, push it all on me. Great. Why don't you just tell me what your ridiculous strategy is? It's not like I can do anything myself, with my older brother around..." I sighed. That was the truth, at least.

Leo seemed to settle down a little. "I just... What I want is..." he stammered, "I have a plan... Takumi..."

I scanned his face. He was hiding something. "Go on," I offered.

"It's... just that... our two kingdoms... if we brought them... closer..."

Leo fidgeted with his headband, then he burst out "Oh, hell with it!"

He kissed me. On the lips. Eyes closed. I was shocked. It would be easy to blame the heat from the hot springs, but the fact is I was blushing, hard. Then he kissed me again. He brought his body close to mine, and I felt his longing and his loneliness. I saw his fear in his eyes when he opened them. I saw Leo.

We weren't that different after all.

"That's a good plan," was all I could say, beaming.


	8. Chapter 8

The sky above the slumbering forest became a twilight pastel, and Takumi stirred as the first birds began their song. He was not used to sleeping on the ground. He wasn't used to sleeping with another person, either.

The two boys were wrapped tightly in Takumi's _kimono_. His lover's slow, steady breath against his arm, the one that supported Leo's head, told the Hoshidan that Leo was still asleep. Together, the formed their own warm, little world. Takumi smiled—a private smile, made only for himself. He nuzzled against his sleeping partner's tousled hair, and scented its redolence; his hands began to wander, slowly, so as not to disturb, some of the places they had discovered the night before.

And how delightful a journey it was. His caress slipped down the soft slope of slumbering Leo's back ever so gently, and stopped where the small of his back met his bottom. " _Hummwaah?_ " Leo asked, and nested his face nearer to Takumi's armpit, asleep again.

Takumi held his breath; his hand wandered further, over Leo's undershorts, his backside. The stiffening organ in Takumi's shorts was begging, demanding further inspection, but... well, perhaps it was best to wait.

Leo stirred. "Mmm, Takumi-bear..." he said, his eyes as soft as the morning dew. He closed them up again, and wrapped Takumi tighter, trying to get a few more blissful moments of sleep. It had been a late night.

The sound of nearby shouting snapped Leo's eyes open again. He brought himself upright, and the kimono slipped from his pale white shoulders and fell to the grass beneath. Takumi's smile was gone. The unmistakable din of weaponclash came, joining the clamor of shouting and hooves pounding the earth.

"It's not safe," Takumi said, taking the lead. He took Leo by the hand and brought him to his feet. "We have to go!"

Leo took just one second to admire fully the rather large protrusion in the front of Takumi's undershorts. "Right," and he began snapping up his clothes, donning them as quickly as he could without having had his morning tomato juice. Nearby, their horses whinnied and tossed their heads impatiently, scenting blood on the morning wind.

Adrenaline racing, the boys mounted and rode like the wind through the trees towards the sound of battle. They debouched into a clearing, and witnessed a bloody clash. It was as they had feared: a squad of Nohrian infantry was battling with a Hoshidan scouting party. Dead and dying men lay scattered, and bloody weapons flashed and glinted in the sun as deft strokes were parried and countered. Takumi raised Fujin-yumi in an instant, and prepared to fell a Nohrian infantryman.

Leo batted the weapon aside, sending the arrow to sail harmlessly into the ground. "No!" he shouted.

Hooves drumming against the earth marked the appearance of reinforcements. Xander, Camille, and Elise rode in from the West; Ryoma, Hinoka, and Sakura rode in from the East.

"Leo, what are you doing?!" shouted Xander. Here, the eyes of their siblings were on them. "Get over here now!"

Leo locked eyes with Takumi, and all the pain in the world was his: "Come with me," he only whispered. "Please, Takumi." It was now or never.

Takumi hesitated, then shook his head no. "Takumi!" shouted Ryoma and Hinoka. After what seemed decades, Takumi broke away and rode to his family. Leo never saw those tears that ran down his cheeks; almost nobody did.

Later, the two lovers met in combat: Brynhildr, the fire that burned in Leo's heart, and Fujin-yumi, the wind that stoked it. They could not bring themselves to hurt each other, for each served to make the other greater; instead they turned and fled each other, each going their own way to the frail solace of East versus West, of duty, of lines that should not have been crossed.


	9. Chapter 9

_Dammit, dammit, dammit!_ I pounded my fist against the wooden table in my chambers at the Western Fortress, tears streaming from my eyes. _How could I have been so stupid?_

The battle this morning was a clear example. Things don't change for me. I'm stuck. Stuck being second best. And now, how could I even begin to think that I could change the way things are just because... _because I love him._

I flopped down on my bed. The sun had set on another grim day. I wished I had _something_ , just something profound to say or do that could change all this. I wished I had a voice that would be heard. But when did Ryoma ever listen to me? He acts so wise, and yet, he'd lead us to war if he wasn't careful.

Should I have gone with Leo, when he offered? No, I couldn't betray my family or my duties. But... _have I betrayed myself?_

 _Can I betray something that felt so right after all these years of loneliness?_

A knock came at the door, relieving me of answering myself. Just as well. Sakura peeped in. "Hi, Takumi. Can I come in?"

I didn't deign to answer. She came in anyway. Good ole Sakura. She sat on the bed next to my curled up form; I didn't look up, hoping foolishly that she wouldn't see that I'd been crying my eyes out. I could be such a child sometimes. I almost laughed out loud at the thought, which would have been weird.

"Takumi, today was hard for you."

Still no answer from me.

After a minute, she continued: "You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to, Takumi. But... I guess the easiest way to put it is that I know. I know you're special, not like other boys. And I know you didn't come home last night. I know the way you look at Leo."

"I promise you, Takumi. Your family will always love you. I will always love you and stand up for you."

"Geez, you sound like Mom," I said, my voice cracked. Fresh tears came slowly. I had been so young when she died.

Sakura leaned over and hugged me. "I don't remember her," she admitted soberly, "just a face on the water, never clear."

"Do they know?" I asked.

"No, I don't think Ryoma or Hinoka realized you were gone last night. They were busy fighting when you arrived. They... aren't very sensitive... I think you still have them fooled from when you pretended to date Hana."

"You knew?!"

She looked at me, looked deep within me, and ran her thumb along one of the heavy black bags under my eyes. "You should get some sleep, Takumi. Will you see him again?"

I didn't answer. I could only hope so.


	10. Chapter 10

"Ugh, haven't you had enough?"

Xander bore on his face a look of true disgust as he observed his younger sibling call for another glass of wine, which was promptly served to him. Leo had been acting strange ever since the conflict of other day—perhaps he was unused to real conflict, Xander mused. It was true that his queer younger brother prefered his books to almost everything else.

Perhaps the fight had made him a man. Then again, perhaps not.

"It's—HIC—good for my heart. All the medi—HIC—medical journals say it's good for my heart." Leo was flushed red with alcohol; it made his breath heavy in his chest.

"Not if you drink that much," Camille chimed in, sipping her own glass. Ever the sommelier of the family she was. "Still, it is a bit amusing to watch you spar with Xander about it."

Elise looked on unperturbed, and pushed her food around on her plate rather than eat it.

Xander took up his knife, sliced off a hearty bite from his steak, and popped it in his mouth. He chewed, savoring the juices of the rare meat. "You know, little brother," he said between chews, "I'd say we're at a real turning point in your life. All these years, you've avoided fighting for our family, and now that's changed. In the end you ran, sure, but it's a start isn't it?"

"I saw him barf afterwards," Elise stated, which brought forth a high, malicious cackle from Camille.

"Well, we can't expect _everyone_ to have a taste for it their first time, can we?" Xander said.

Leo crawled further into his cup, got even redder as his blood pressure mounted, or lowered, or whatever it does when you drink and get pissed off. He put his glass of wine down as delicately as he could: "I'm gay," he said.

"Leo!" He had earned the attentive gasps of all in attendance.

"A huge faggot," Leo added for dramatic effect.

Xander stood, and if you thought nothing could top his disgust and contempt for his brother earlier, you would be wrong. "What is this salacious nonsense you're sputtering?!" he demanded of his drunk sibling. "You're drunk! You need to—"

"Let him be, Xander," Camille cut in. It almost pained her to step in, especially when Leo was being such an especially easy target. "Isn't it obvious that he's toying with you?"

Leo smiled, letting his teeth show through his purple-stained lips. Was it all a joke? Xander sat down and sneered, the air practically redolent of his disdain.

"Get some sleep, will you?" he sneered, dismissing Leo. The younger prince went from the table—he never was one for passing up a chance to leave the company of his older brother. Leo found his bed quickly that night, and was soon fast asleep.


	11. Chapter 11

He was awakened by a hoarse whisper and rough shaking. "Leo! Leo!" came the coarse voice, as loud as it dared. The shaking stopped as soon as Leo gasped and jolted in surprise.

"It's me," came the voice, cutting through the utter darkness that concealed the speaker. Leo had his suspicions, but when he lit his bedside candle he found his delight to be most sublime.

"Takumi!" he said, "Oh, Takumi!" Leo slipped his arms around the boy who had come. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm gonna get you out of here."

Leo chest rose and fell in excitement. This was the sexiest thing that had ever happened to him. But as always, his mind raced to the real, logical parameters of the situation. "Wait, but where?"

Takumi ran a hand through his hair nonchalantly, which secretly meant he hadn't really thought about it that much. Love sure as hell wasn't anything like shogi, was it?

"It doesn't matter as long as we leave, right now." He hoisted the lighter Nohrian boy from his bed.

"B-but our families! Mustn't you serve your family? Your king?"

"Where we're going, you'll be my king," Takumi said as he let Leo down to his feet. "I was alone until I met you. I don't _need_ anyone else."

"Wrong."

"What?" Takumi asked, puzzled.

"You're gonna be _my_ king," Leo said with a light giggle. "Let's go."

The two boys snuck off, mounted Takumi's roan, and rode like hell through the early morning dark.


	12. Chapter 12

Hours passed, and morning came and went without any breakfast or break, till finally Leo urged Takumi to slow down and stop.

"We shouldn't stay long," Takumi urged Leo. "Your family will be likely to give chase." Leo agreed, but he, being frailer and a less skilled rider, needed a break. His legs shuddered when he dismounted, and he lowered himself to the ground gracelessly.

"Are you sure this is the right thing to do?" Leo asked.

Takumi knelt beside his lover, and clasped one of Leo's hands in both his own: "I will never give up on you, Leo. We will make it. We have to—"

A snapping twig brought Takumi's gaze around as swift as a hawk. "Show yourself!" he demanded.

"Ha! I guess I never was good at the whole sneakin thing," Hinata said, and stepped out from behind a nearby tree with his hands up. "You didn't think you were gettin away from me, didya boss?"

Oboro dropped from a nearby tree, almost perfectly silent. "It is unwise for our lords to travel without company in these dangerous times."

"Wait, w-whoa — _lords_? What makes you say 'lords' like that?"

"Well, boss, ya see... Uh, just some holdin hands and kissin and stuff. It's all good! Kinda figured anyway..."

"Yes," added Oboro. "We've come to protect Takumi-bear and Leo-chan."

"TAKUMI-BEAR?!" Takumi was now so heated and red that he could have boiled miso soup with his mind.

"Well boss, the fact is that your just not as sneaky as you think you are... and we gotta look out for you, so... we heard some things—"

"—I made up 'Leo-chan,'" Oboro said, "but you can use it if you want to."

Deathly silence followed.

"Your retainers are crazy," said Leo, "but I like them."


	13. Chapter 13

The drumming of hooves came wildly as the fugitives readied themselves to once again take flight. Takumi was prepared to ride, Leo had his arms wrapped around his lover's waist, but just when it came time to flee, Leo gripped Takumi's shoulder firmly.

"Wait."

It was Xander, Camille, and Elise, weapons drawn.

"Halt, you _dog_ ," Xander ordered, "you've taken our brother!"

But Camille and Elise had already begun to lower their weapons at the sight of their brother riding willingly with his "captor." Xander would not be swayed so easily.

"Xander, don't be an idiot," Leo said.

"Told you," chirped Elise. Camille sulked and handed over what looked like a bag of money. Elise smiled: "Hey big bro."

"Leo, think of our _father_ ," Xander urged. "Are you really going to do this?!"

"Yes, Xander, I am. I wasn't toying with you when I was drunk. I needed you to know the truth, all of you! I'm the same Leo you've always known, but don't hate me for this. Hate me for anything but this."

All their Nohrian steel was lowered, though some more reluctantly than others. Ryoma, Hinoka, and Sakura rode into the small woodland clearing, joining the party.

"Yeah! We've got your back, Takumi! ...Takumi?" Ryoma's battle cry trailed off and became almost a question when he saw Leo's arms around his brother. He looked befuddled. "Wait, Takumi... You and Hana, right? Aren't you...?"

"Hana?" piped up Hinata, "She's a lesbian, dude!"

Oboro slapped Hinata.

"Oh... wow..." Ryoma muttered. Sakura sighed. Awkwardness had saturated the atmosphere to such a degree that it was physically tangible.

But instead of choking on it, Takumi flipped out.

"All right, I've had enough of this shit!" Everybody listened because nobody had heard Takumi swear before. "Things are mess right now! All this fighting and bloodshed? It's awful, can't we all agree? I love Leo. He's a boy and I'm a boy and that doesn't matter because it's _real_. I'm sick and tired of my family trying to tell me what my duties are. In spite of all this hatred and fighting, Leo and I fell in love. And it's none of your damn business what we do!"

"Yeah, you all need to chill the fuck out and do an _onsen_ ," Leo added. Everybody listened because nobody had heard _anybody_ speak like that before. Ever. Regardless, after a hard ride through the morning, _Onsen_ seemed like the best idea in the world.


	14. Chapter 14

Steam rose from the natural hot springs in that quiet grove of forest where love bloomed so freely, and there the troubles shrank away.

At first, the Nohrians had been skeptical of—and even threatened by—the springs. "You must think we're fools," said Xander, "planning to boil us alive like this!" It wasn't until Leo reassured his mistrustful family by bearing all with his lover and together dipping in first.

The two families were shocked by how plainly Leo and Takumi showed each other affection, but it wasn't long before the hot springs washed away even any lingering doubts that Takumi-bear and Leo-chan as a couple was anything less than a thing. And a _good_ thing at that.

Even Xander and Ryoma bro'd up. Although Camille rather took a liking to Ryoma herself, much to Xander's dismay. She invited herself over to the Western Fortress to join the Hoshidan prince for dinner that evening, and being the willful woman that she was, Ryoma was hard-pressed to give an answer that would please. Leo smiled knowingly as he observed her mating patterns. _How predictable she is_ , he thought. _We come to a foreign country, and already she's chasing after the locals—_

Well, Camille wasn't the only one guilty of that, was she? Leo laid his head down on Takumi's strong shoulder and felt satisfied. There are many things that can be healed by a bit of time in a hot spring: tired legs from riding, old friendships in need of kindling, and perhaps even the old blood feuds that have lasted generations between two ancient families.

In the end, it was decided that the Nohrian family could stay with the Hoshidans at the Western Fortress for as long as they desired. Peace was declared openly that day in a pact that would come to be known as the Optimistic Onsen Armistice "Chill-Out" Agreement (named by Leo). The name didn't quite stick well enough to make a holiday, but it did prevent war for a good long while.

Indeed, many new bonds formed between the two families in the coming days, but that, my friends, is a story for another time.

 _fin_

 _June 18 2018_


End file.
